Their mother declined to visit.

Evelyn had offered to meet separately for lunch, but only if both children agreed not to ask her for money.

“She’s taking Iris’s side,” Priscilla said, throwing a ribbon onto the couch.

“She’s tired,” Garrett answered.

He was tired, too.

His employment situation had not improved.

A review of his files was continuing, and his professional reputation had become difficult to separate from the disputed applications.

Several longtime clients had stopped returning his calls.